Help Improve Oral Health in Colorado
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Oral Health Colorado (OHCO)Help us promote healthy smiles and healthy bodies for all Coloradans. Every bit counts!
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I am the Chair of the Board at Oral Health Colorado (OHCO). Our mission is to develop and promote strategies that achieve optimal oral health for all Coloradans.
Although dental caries are largely preventable, they remain the most common chronic disease of children aged 6 to 11 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. Tooth decay is four times more common than asthma among adolescents aged 14 to 17 years. Dental caries also affects adults, with 9 out of 10 over the age of 20 having some degree of tooth-root decay.
Contrary to what you may have heard, cavities are no small issue, either. On average, elementary children missed a total of 6 days per year, and high school children missed 2.6 days. For elementary students, 2.1 days of missed school were due to dental problems, and high school students missed 2.3 days due to dental issues. That shows oral health problems are a very significant factor in school absences. Also, parents missed an average of 2.5 days of work per year to care for children with dental problems.
As if these education indicators were not enough, many studies, including this from the Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/dental/art-20047475) indicate strong connections between oral and overall health. Taking care of your mouth may just be the ticket to a long and healthy life.
OHCO works tirelessly to fight the silent oral health epidemic by pursuing four primary goals:
1) Integrated Care: Raise the awareness of the need for oral health integration in an integrated care system in Colorado.
2) Continued Advancement: Elevate and increase our watchdog approach so that we can activate the network to address any threats to oral health advancement.
3) Strengthening the Oral Health Network: Deepen relationships among local partners that are critical to elevating voices about disparities in oral health by increasing the knowledge, effectiveness and capacity for collective action.
4) Building Organizational Strength: Build a strong organizational structure through board development, brand awareness, committee structure, policy development and a development plan.